Which component increases both lift and drag?

Which component increases both lift and drag?

• A. Flaps
• B. Aileron
• C. Spoiler
• D. Slats

Answer: (A)

Flaps extend to increase the wing’s camber and surface area, which boosts lift at lower speeds—exactly what you need for takeoff and landing. That same extension also adds drag, because more surface area and a more disrupted airflow create more resistance. So flaps raise both lift and drag, providing the needed low-speed performance at the cost of higher drag. Other devices don’t produce this same combination as consistently: ailerons mainly affect roll with only a modest lift change and some drag when deflected; spoilers primarily create drag and reduce lift; leading-edge slats increase lift with some drag, but flaps are the primary device that convincingly increases both lift and drag in common high-lift configurations.

Flaps extend to increase the wing’s camber and surface area, which boosts lift at lower speeds—exactly what you need for takeoff and landing. That same extension also adds drag, because more surface area and a more disrupted airflow create more resistance. So flaps raise both lift and drag, providing the needed low-speed performance at the cost of higher drag. Other devices don’t produce this same combination as consistently: ailerons mainly affect roll with only a modest lift change and some drag when deflected; spoilers primarily create drag and reduce lift; leading-edge slats increase lift with some drag, but flaps are the primary device that convincingly increases both lift and drag in common high-lift configurations.